Schneider-Canet 105mm long gun M. 1913

 

 

 

 

 

Bulgarian designation :

105-мм скорострелно оръдие Д-28

French designation :

Canon de 105 mm L modèle 1913 TR Schneider

Calibre :

105mm L/28

Weight of the barrel :

850 kg

Weight of the breech-block :

35 kg

Weight in action :

2350 kg

Weight of the limber :

400 kg

Weight in marching order :

2750 kg

Weight of ammunition wagon :

2520 kg

Barrel length :

2940 m

Rifling

length :

22.4 calibres

angle of twist:

7° 10’

Number of barrel grooves :

40

Height of the line of fire :

1220 mm

Shield

Thickness :

4 mm

Height :

1.7 m

Battering charge :

2 kg of Poudre BG 5

1.95 kg of Poudre BG 5 (in 1916, with shell M. 14)

            French shells

 

Shell M. 14

weight :

15.6 kg – charge : 2 kg of Schneiderite

Shell M. 14 S

weight :

16 kg – charge : 1.73 kg of Schneiderite

muzzle velocity :

570 m/s

550 m/s (with 1916 reduced charge)

Shrapnel M. 16

weight :

16.915 kg - charge: 160 g of black powder

430 bullets x 12 g

muzzle velocity :

555 m/s

Max. range :

12300 m (with shell)

11800 m (with 1916 reduced charge)

12500 m (with shrapnel)

Elevation :

+ 37° / - 5°

Traversing angle :

6°

Wheels

height :

1330 mm

track :

1645 mm

Recoil :

1.30 m

Transport :

drawn by six horses

Ammunition :

gun limber - 24 shells, wagon limber - 24 shells, wagon body - 36 shells

Remarks :

Quick firing heavy field gun, with hydro-pneumatic recoil system, swinging block breech mechanism, traverse on axle. It was equipped with panorama telescope, and was fitted for an independent line of sight. It fired three different kind of projectiles : Obus en acier Mle 1914, Obus FA Mle 1914, and Obus à balles Mle 1916. Since the charge of 2 kg was regarded as too powerful, in order to avoid accidents, in 1916 it was reduced to 1.9 kg.

It was developed from the 106.7 mm (Canon de 42 lignes de campagne à tir rapide, type SC 42”) adopted by the Russian artillery in 1907, and built under licence by the Putilov factory. Ballistically it even surpassed the Russian gun both in muzzle velocity, and in range, but it was not regarded as fully satisfactory, since the barrel wore quickly, and was prone to burst easily, especially in 1915.

This gun was not listed by Hermann Schirmer among the enemy guns captured and employed by the Germans. However according with VELEV, Морската артилерия на България 1879-1970 г…, p. 42 four of these guns were delivered in 1917 to the Bulgarian coast artillery, and placed at Cape Sv. Nikola near Burgas. Since this gun was employed also by the Romanian Army, it is possible that the Bulgarian guns were captured in Dobrudja or Romania. On the other hand, it is unlikely that they were of the Russian model, since the data reported in VELEV, p.143 and 146 are different and concurred with these of the French model. In Bulgarian service, probably it fired the projectiles employed by the Krupp 105mm heavy guns. However, I found any evidence of the delivery of these guns to the Burgas coast artillery during WW1.

 

Pictures from Beograd Military Museum